Pool-table



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Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

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QF. E. 8v W. F. AUGUSTIN.

POOL TABLE.

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F. E. 8v W. F. AUGUSTIN.

P001. TABLE.

No. 472,423. Patentd Apr. 5.1892.

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.pool-table.

UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS E. AUGUSTIN 'AND WILLIAM F. AUGUSTIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

POOL-TAB LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,423, dated April 5, 1892. Application lfiled January 14, 1891. Serial No. 377,699. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, FRANCIS EfAUGUsTIN and WILLIAM F. AUGUSTIN, both of Chicago, 1n the county of Cook and State ot' Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Imparts of the table broken away. Fig. 3 is a' longitudinal central vertical section of the Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the :same with parts broken away. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig 6 isa plan view of the triangular drawer into which the balls are directed preparatory to beginning a new game. Fig. 7 is a detail View of one of the pockets. Fig. S is a detail view of the track upon which the balls run after dropping through the pockets.

In said drawings, A indicates a pool-table of familiar construction provided with the usual number ot' pockets B B. j

C C and C C', respectively, are side and end boards arranged along the sides and ends of the pool-table and secu relyattached thereto. These side and end boards are preferably arranged vertically around the outside of the pool-table and with their upper edges abut-A ting against the marginal flanges d d of the :side and end rails of the pool-table. Bolts or screws c c are conveniently employed to secure the side and end boards in position upon the table A.

D D are corner-pieces, preferably made of metal and preferably cast in the form shown in Figs. l and 2, so as to form rounded corners. The corner-pieces D D are rabbeted along their vertical side margins, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, for the reception of the ends of the boards C C and C C', which are convenientlysecured in place by screws passed ets B B. the inner surface of one of the end boards C',

through the anges d d at the sides of the corner-pieces D D and into the ends of the boards.

A receptacle E, preferably of cylindrical form, is located beneath one end of the pooltable. This cylindrical receptacle is provided with a plurality of vertical compartments e e for the balls, the outer walls of which are preferably slotted, as shown, so as to permit the contents of each compartment to be viewed from the outside.

A track or trough F is located upon the inner surface of each ot' the side boards C C, being inclined from end to end of the board and being located immediately beneath the pock- A similar track F is arranged upon beneath which the receptacle E is located. The track F is suitably joined at its ends to the lower ends of the tracks F- F at the corners of the table, so as to form a continuous track around three sides of the table. The track F is suitably inclined toward the center, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3. An aperture f is provided at the central part of the track F.

As illustrated more particularly in Fig. 2, the cylindrical receptacle E is located beneath the end of the table in such a position as to permit one ot' the compartments e e to be brought under the aperture f in the trackF', so that any balls which may pass through the aperture f will drop into the compartment e immediately beneath said aperture f. Apertures of suflicient size for the passage of a pool-ball are provided in the bottoms of the several pockets B B.

Itis evident from this construction that any balls which enter the pockets B B will drop out at the bottom of said pockets, roll down the inclined tracks F F', and finally drop through the aperture f into the compartment e inl the receptacle E below said aperture. In order to bring any desired one of the compartments e e into position to receive the balls, the cylinder E is mounted upon a shaft E', to the upper end of which is aflixed a bevel-gear e. A shaftGeXtends longitudinally beneath the table A, and projects through the end boards C C at opposite ends of the table. Upon the projecting ends of the shaft G are provided handles or knobs G G', by which IOO said shaft may be readily rotated. A gearwheel g of the same size as the gear e is mounted upon said shaft G and meshes with the gear e upon the shaft E,so that any revolution of the handles G G will produce acorresponding revolution of the cylinder E. A dial H is provided at one or both ends of the table, being suitably numbered-as, for instance, from one to eight-the divisions upon said dial corresponding in number with the compartments e e in the cylinder E. Said compartments are similarly numbered. An indicator-hand 7L is provided upon the outer end of the shaft G,and is so adjusted thereon as to indicate upon the dial II the number of the compartment e, which is at any time in position below the aperturef in the track. As a further improvement, we also prefer to provide dials I I upon the upper sides of the end rails of the pool-table and numbered in a manner similar to the numbers on the dial H. Indicator-handset are mounted upon the upper ends of vertical shafts I I extending through the end rails of the pool-table, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. Upon the lower ends of said vertical shafts are secured gears t" i', which in turn mesh with gears g g upon the longitudinal shaft G. Any rotation, therefore, of the shaft G produces a corresponding rotation of the cylinder E and each of the indicator-hands, so that each of the three hands 7L and fz' will indicate corresponding numbers upon their respectivedials. Each dial thus indicates the number of the. compartment which is in position to receive the balls discharged from the aperture in the track. Beneath the lower end of the cylinder E is located a casing J, having a circular openingj in its top and provided with aslide J immediately below said aperture, which slide forms a removable bottom to the cylinder E. Below said slide J is located a triangular drawer K, and between the circular opening in the top of the casing and the triangular drawer we provide an apron K circular at its upper margin and triangular at its lower margin. This apron is formed from any suitable material, such as leather, and serves to collect the balls as they fall from the bottom of the cylinder E upon the removal of the slide J and to direct said balls into the triangular drawer K. A pad or cushion j is preferably provided upon the slide J at the point directly below the aperturefin the track F, which pad receives the impact of the balls as they drop from the said aperture into the compartments in the cylinder E and prevents or deadens the noise of the falling balls.

The triangular drawer K is preferably constructed as shown in Fig. (i, with a two-part bottom consisting of two wings 7c cpivoted to the apex of the triangular drawer, as shown at 7a. These wings are provided with proj ecting ears upon their forward edges, which extend beyond the front wall of the drawer and by which the operator may move said wings outwardly, as shown by dotted linesin said Fig. (i, so as to permit the balls contained in the triangular drawer to drop out through the bottom of said drawer. Any suitable means may be employed to support the forward ends of the pivoted wings 7c 7c in position against the bottom of the triangular drawer as, forinstance, a plate or clip k2 may be provided upon the frontend of the drawer, said clip having its lower edge bcntinwardly, so as to form a support for the front edges of the two wings 7a k when they are in their closed position. l

The practical operation of our invention is as follows: The pool-balls being placed in position upon the table in the usual manner, each participant in the game takes a number. The first player before playing rotates one of the handles G G upon the rod G and causes the indicator-hands on the several dials to point to the figure l and, as before described, bringing compartment No. l beneath the aperture f in the track. He then plays in the ordinary manner. Any balls which he may cause to pass into the pockets B B will drop out at the opening in the bottoms thereof and upon the inclined tracks, from whence they will drop into the said compartment No. l, as heretofore explained. After player No. l has finished, player No. 2 turns one of the handles to point to figure 2 upon the various dials and at the same time to bring compartment No. 2 under the apertule f. The balls gained by this player dropping on the track through the pockets will then pass along the tracks and into compartment No. 2, as before described. When player No. 2 has finished, playerNo. 3 adjusts the apparatus in like manner, and this operation is repeated until the game is iinished. As the game progresses, the balls in anyone compartment may be readily counted, as they are always in plain view in rear of the slotted outer wall of the cylinder E. After the game is finished the slide J is withdrawn and the balls in the cylindrical receptacle E permitted to drop into the triangular drawer K. Vthen it is desired to begin another game, the drawer is removed with all the balls in it and is placed upon the table. The wings 7a 7c are moved outwardly, so as to allow said balls to rest directly upon the table. The triangle may then be moved backward and forward to bring theballsinto the proper position on the table, after which said triangle may be raised and the balls left upon the table ready for a new game.

As a separate and still further improvement, we provide a suitable signaling device in connection with the drawer by which when the drawer is removed a bell is rung, so as to notify the attendant that the game is ended and to thereby enable him to keep count of the numberof games played. Any signaling device may be employed-that shown in the drawings being an electric bell L, provided with the usual connections. Two contactsprngsl l are secured within the bottom of the TOO IOS

ITO

casing J, below the drawer K, and to these contact-springs are connected the two terminals of the electric-bell circuit. A metallic plate Z is located on the bottom of the drawer K in such position that when the drawer is Withdrawn said plate will come into contact with the two springsl Z, thereby closing the circuit and ringing the bell.

The bell may be located in any convenient place, either within or upon the box J, as shown in the drawings,or it maybe attached to the table, or, it' desired, may be placed at a distance from the table on the wall or behind a counter. ciator or dial may be connected with the drawer for the same purpose.

As a further and separate improvement we prefer to provide'the pockets B B with rings ZJ b, secured in the apertures in the bottoms of said pockets, said rings being of sufficient size to permit ot' the free passage of the balls from the pockets to the tracks. The white or cue ball is preferably made a little larger than the colored balls, so that it will not pass through the rings b b, but in case it passes' into one of the pockets may be easily picked out by the players. We also provide the pockets with inclined chutes b b below the open rings b b, as shown more particularly in Fig. 7. These chutes serve to give the balls an impulse in the proper direction as they leave the pockets and insure their proper movement upon the tracks.

As a separate and still further improvement, we construct the outer or slatted wall of the cylinder E with enlarged openings e2 e2 at the upper ends of the spaces between the vertical slats, so that in case it is desired to remove one or more balls from any one of the compartments said balls may be raised to the enlarged part e2 of the opening and picked out of the compartment by the players.

Anydesired form ot" track may of course be employed, the particular form shown in the drawings, however, being provided with two parallel ribs on which the balls bear as they roll along said tracks,thereby presenting the least possible amount-ot surface and consequently permitting said balls to roll freely and with very little friction. The track may be covered with any suitable material-such as leather-to diminish the noise of the rolling ball. The aperturef is larger than. the diameter of one ball.

We have shown an apron K between the slide J and the drawer K; but it is obvious we may construct this passage-way or chute of Wood or metal, dispensing with the apron or curtain. It will also be noted that the signaling device may be applied to the slide J instead of being applied to the drawer K, as shown, without altering 'the construction or operation of our invention.

Ve have illustrated our invention as applied to a table now in use to illustrate how it may be applied as an attachment to the ordinary form of pool-tables; but it will be Instead ot a bell an annunf obvious that in constructing new pool-tables embodying` the invention, many details ot construction may be changed without departneath the pockets, said track having a suitable opening therein, in combination with a movable receptacle permanently located beneath said track-opening and having a plurality of compartments therein for the reception of the several pool-balls, and mechanism for rotating said receptacle to bring any desired one of said compartments beneath the opening in the track, substantially as specitied.

2. A pool-table vprovided with suitable pockets, and a track located beneath the pockets to which lthe balls pass from the several pockets, a revoluble receptacle beneath said track, and means for rotating the same, an opening in said track to permit the balls to pass from the track to said receptacle, said receptacle being provided with a removable bottom, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A pool-table provided with suitable pockets around its edge, said pockets having openings therein through which the balls may pass, a track located around the outside of the table beneath the pockets, a revoluble receptacle for the balls located permanently beneath the track, lan opening in said track to permitthe balls to pass from said track to said receptacle, and a curved chute located beneath the opening in the pockets to direct the course of "a ball on the track, and also sufficiently above vthe track to permit a ball to pass over said track beneath said chute, substantially as described.

et. A pool-table provided with suitable pockets and having a track to receive the balls from the pockets, a revoluble receptacle having a plurality ot compartments therein and located beneath the track, means for permitting the balls to pass directly from the table to said tracks and from said tracks to said receptacle, and a drawer removably located in said receptacle, said drawer being triangular in plan View, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a pool-table, a receptacle for the pool-balls, and a track connecting the table with the receptacle, whereby the balls may pass from the table to said receptacle, of a triangular-shaped drawer removably secured in said receptacle, said drawer being provided with a removable bottom, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A pool-table provided with a track to receive the balls, a suitable hole or opening in said track, a movable receptacle located permanently beneath said opening and provided with a plurality of compartments for receiving the pool-balls, means for rotating said receptacle to bring any desired compartment beneath the opening in the track, a dial and IOC indicator, and mechanism for pointing out upon said dial which compartment of the receptacle has been brought beneath the said opening in the track, substantially as and for the purpose specilied.

7. A pool-table provided with one or more tracks to receive the balls, a discharge-aperture in said track or tracks, a suitable receptacle for the pool-balls rotatably secured beneath the discharge-aperture in the tracks, said receptacle being provided with a plurality of compartments suitably numbered, one or more dials also provided with numbers correspondin g with the numbers ou the compartments of the receptacle, one or more indicators, and means for rotating said receptacle and simultaneously operating said indicators to designate upon the dial or dials the particular compartment of the receptacle that is beneath the discharge-aperture in the track, substantially as described.

S. A pool-table comprising a plurality of pockets having openings at their lower ends through which the pool-balls may pass, one or more tracks located beneath said pockets, a cylindrical receptacle communicating with said tracks and provided with a plurality of.

compartments for the pool-balls, a dial provided with divisions equal to the number of the compartments in said receptacle, an indicator on said receptacle, a shaft extending through the table from end to end and provided with suitable gearing connecting said shaft with said indicator and with said receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination, with a pool-table, a cylindrical revoluble receptacle provided with suitable compartments for the pool-balls, and means for conveying the said balls directly to the receptacle, of a removable drawer triangular in shape located in thelower portion of said receptacle, and a passage-way or conduit between said compartment and said drawer, said passage-way or conduit being circular in its upper portion and triangular at its lower portion, whereby the balls will be directed from the several compartments of the receptacle to the triangular-shaped drawer, substantially as described.

lO. The combi nation, with a pool-table, a cylindrical receptacle and means for conveying the balls from thc table to the receptacle, of a removable bottom in said receptacle, and a removable triangular-shapcd drawer, also l0- cated in said receptacle beneath the said rcmovable bottom and having a two-part movable bottom, and a chute or passage between said removable bottom of the receptacle and the drawer, substantially as specified.

1l. The combination, with a pool-table, of a revoluble receptacle having a plurality of compartments therein and being permanently located beneath the table, means for conveying the pool-balls to the receptacle, a drawer removably located in said receptacle and adapted to receive all the balls from the several compartments of said receptacle, a signaling device, and suitable mechanism connecting said signaling devicewith said removable drawer, whereby said signaling device may be actuated upon the removal of said drawer from said receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS E. AUGUSTIN. WILLIAM F. AUGUSTIN. lVitnesses:

TAYLOR E. BROWN, JOHN E. WILEs. 

